Locking Glad Hand Device

Abstract

A locking glad hand device includes a glad hand coupler that is removably attachable to a glad hand fitting on a tail end of an air brake line. A locking pin is movably disposed on the glad handle coupler which engages a respective wing on the glad hand fitting thereby inhibiting the glad hand coupler from being tampered with and potentially disabling the air brake system of the tractor trailer. A lock is rotatably disposed on the glad hand coupler. The lock engages the locking pin when the locking pin is urged into a locking condition and the lock is rotated into a locking position thereby locking the glad hand coupler to the glad hand fitting. Conversely, the lock disengages the locking pin when the lock is rotated into an unlocking position thereby facilitating the locking pin to be biased into the releasing condition.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A locking glad hand device for inhibiting air pressure loss in an air brake system on a tractor trailer, said device comprising:
 a glad hand coupler being removably attachable to a glad hand fitting on a tail end of an air brake line on a tail trailer of a set of trailers that are being towed by a semi tractor thereby facilitating continuous air flow throughout an air brake system of said semi tractor and said set of trailers, said glad hand coupler including a set pin which abuts a respective side of a wing on said glad hand fitting when said glad hand coupler is fitted to said glad hand fitting for inhibiting said glad hand coupler from rotating in a first direction on said glad hand fitting;   a locking pin being movably disposed on said glad handle coupler, said locking pin being biased into a releasing condition, said locking pin being urgeable into a locking condition when said glad hand coupler is removably attached to said glad hand fitting having said locking pin abutting an opposing side of said wing on said glad hand fitting with respect to said set pin when said glad hand coupler is fitted to said glad hand fitting thereby inhibiting said glad hand coupler from rotating in a second direction on said glad hand fitting wherein said locking pin is configured to inhibit said glad hand coupler from being tampered with and potentially disabling said air brake system of said tractor trailer; and   a lock being rotatably disposed on said glad hand coupler, said lock engaging said locking pin when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition and said lock is rotated into a locking position thereby locking said glad hand coupler to said glad hand fitting, said lock disengaging said locking pin when said lock is rotated into an unlocking position thereby facilitating said locking pin to be biased into said releasing condition such that said glad hand coupler is removable from said glad hand fitting.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said glad hand coupler has a head and a handle extending away from said head;   said head has a first surface being aligned with a primary surface of said handle;   said head has a second surface being aligned with a secondary surface of said handle;   said glad hand coupler has a first shield which has a lower edge being coupled to said primary surface of said handle;   said first shield has a bend being spaced from and being oriented parallel to said lower edge to define a spaced portion of said first shield being spaced from and lying on a plane oriented parallel to said primary surface of said handle;   said first shield has an upper edge curving downwardly between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of said first shield;   an intersection between said first lateral edge and said upper edge is rounded;   an intersection between said second lateral edge and said upper edge tapers to a point;   said set pin is coupled to and extends away from a rear surface of said spaced portion of said first shield such that said set pin is directed toward said primary surface of said handle;   said set pin is located proximate said intersection between said second lateral edge and said upper edge of said first shield;   said glad hand coupler has a second shield having a perimeter edge being coupled to said secondary surface of said handle;   said second shield has a rear wall being spaced from and lying on a plane being oriented parallel to said secondary surface of said handle; and   said second shield is aligned with said first shield.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 said handle has an aperture extending through said primary surface and said secondary surface;   said aperture is aligned with said first shield and said second shield; and   said aperture is offset from a longitudinal centerline of said handle.   
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said second shield has an aperture extending through said rear wall; and   said aperture in said rear wall is aligned with said aperture in said handle.   
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said locking pin comprises a head and a stem; and   said stem extends through said aperture in said rear wall of said second shield and said aperture in said handle having said head being spaced from an outwardly facing surface of said rear wall thereby facilitating said head to be depressed to urge said locking pin into said locking condition.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 said stem has a notch being recessed into said stem; and   said notch is positioned closer to said head than a distal end of said stem.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 said device includes a biasing member being positioned around said stem of said locking pin; and   said biasing member extends between said notch in said stem and said secondary surface of said handle for biasing said locking pin into said releasing condition.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 said distal end of said stem is aligned with said primary surface of said handle when said locking pin is in said releasing condition; and   said stem travels through said handle having said distal end being spaced from said primary surface of said handle when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 said lock is rotatably integrated into said rear wall of said second shield;   said lock has a finger extending laterally away from said lock such that said finger is positioned between said rear wall of said second shield and said secondary surface of said handle;   said finger extends into said notch in said stem of said locking pin when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition and said lock is rotated into said locking position;   said finger is displaced from said notch when said lock is rotated into said unlocking position;   said lock has a keyhole being exposed with respect to said rear wall of said second shield for insertably receiving a key for rotating said lock between said locking position and said unlocking position; and   said lock is inhibited from being rotated between said locking position and said unlocking position when said key is not inserted into said keyhole.   
     
     
         10 . A locking glad hand device for inhibiting air pressure loss in an air brake system on a tractor trailer, said device comprising:
 a glad hand coupler being removably attachable to a glad hand fitting on a tail end of an air brake line on a tail trailer of a set of trailers that are being towed by a semi tractor thereby facilitating continuous air flow throughout an air brake system of said semi tractor and said set of trailers, said glad hand coupler including a set pin which abuts a respective side of a wing on said glad hand fitting when said glad hand coupler is fitted to said glad hand fitting for inhibiting said glad hand coupler from rotating in a first direction on said glad hand fitting, said glad hand coupler having a head and a handle extending away from said head, said head having a first surface being aligned with a primary surface of said handle, said head having a second surface being aligned with a secondary surface of said handle, said glad hand coupler having a first shield which has a lower edge being coupled to said primary surface of said handle, said first shield having a bend being spaced from and being oriented parallel to said lower edge to define a spaced portion of said first shield being spaced from and lying on a plane oriented parallel to said primary surface of said handle, said first shield having an upper edge curving downwardly between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of said first shield, an intersection between said first lateral edge and said upper edge being rounded, an intersection between said second lateral edge and said upper edge tapering to a point, said set pin being coupled to and extending away from a rear surface of said spaced portion of said shield such that said set pin is directed toward said primary surface of said handle, said set pin being located proximate said intersection between said second lateral edge and said upper edge of said first shield, said glad hand coupler having a second shield having a perimeter edge being coupled to said secondary surface of said handle, said second shield having a rear wall being spaced from and lying on a plane being oriented parallel to said secondary surface of said handle, said second shield being aligned with said first shield, said handle having an aperture extending through said primary surface and said secondary surface, said aperture being aligned with said first shield and said second shield, said aperture being offset from a longitudinal centerline of said handle, said second shield having an aperture extending through said rear wall, said aperture in said rear wall being aligned with said aperture in said handle;   a locking pin being movably disposed on said glad handle coupler, said locking pin being biased into a releasing condition, said locking pin being urgeable into a locking condition when said glad hand coupler is removably attached to said glad hand fitting having said locking pin abutting an opposing side of said wing on said glad hand fitting with respect to said set pin when said glad hand coupler is fitted to said glad hand fitting thereby inhibiting said glad hand coupler from rotating in a second direction on said glad hand fitting wherein said locking pin is configured to inhibit said glad hand coupler from being tampered with and potentially disabling said air brake system of said tractor trailer, said locking pin comprising head and a stem, said stem extending through said aperture in said rear wall of said second shield and said aperture in said handle having said head being spaced from an outwardly facing surface of said rear wall thereby facilitating said head to be depressed to urge said locking pin into said locking condition, said stem having a notch being recessed into said stem, said notch being positioned closer to said head than a distal end of said stem;   a biasing member being positioned around said stem of said locking pin, said biasing member extending between said notch in said stem and said secondary surface of said handle for biasing said locking pin into said releasing condition, said distal end of said stem being aligned with said primary surface of said handle when said locking pin is in said releasing condition, said stem traveling through said handle having said distal end being spaced from said primary surface of said handle when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition; and   a lock being rotatably disposed on said glad hand coupler, said lock engaging said locking pin when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition and said lock is rotated into a locking position thereby locking said glad hand coupler to said glad hand fitting, said lock disengaging said locking pin when said lock is rotated into an unlocking position thereby facilitating said locking pin to be biased into said releasing condition such that said glad hand coupler is removable from said glad hand fitting, said lock being rotatably integrated into said rear wall of said second shield, said lock having a finger extending laterally away from said lock such that said finger is positioned between said rear wall of said second shield and said secondary surface of said handle, said finger extending into said notch in said stem of said locking pin when said locking pin is urged into said locking condition and said lock is rotated into said locking position, said finger being displaced from said notch when said lock is rotated into said unlocking position, said lock having a keyhole being exposed with respect to said rear wall of said second shield for insertably receiving a key for rotating said lock between said locking position and said unlocking position, said lock being inhibited from being rotated between said locking position and said unlocking position when said key is not inserted into said keyhole.